High Tech

Duncan Graham tries to avoid living an extraordinary life. His mother, McKenna, and his absentee father, Ethan, were star-crossed lovers from feuding Scottish clans. The unwed couple separated, with Ethan sending McKenna and Duncan to America to avoid scandal. Duncan enjoys a normal life growing up with a single mother until he is 11 years old—that’s when he magically cures his best friend Timmy’s polio (“ The room filled with light ”) and discovers that he is a healer. Duncan does his best to keep his gift a secret, using it sparingly as he grows into adulthood, but he’s thrust into the public eye when he’s forced to save a young woman struck by a car. Duncan is uncomfortable in the spotlight, but he holds meetings at a former church to heal people, eventually moving to a bigger facility. Thanks to negative publicity generated by those he couldn’t cure, Duncan’s “ministry” flounders, and he also suffers serious personal reversals. It isn’t until Duncan accompanies McKenna’s body home...

A genre-blending fusion of biblical myth, arcane thriller, and gritty crime fiction, Dougherty’s latest braids intertwining storylines. First and foremost is the creation of the avenging angel Thumos, whose opening words signify his sole purpose: “I am the right-hand of vengeance for the Lord Most High.” Sent on numerous missions by Yahweh—from aiding Moses and the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt to defending Jerusalem from the Assyrian King Sennacherib and his armies to assisting Jesus in his time of need—Thumos grapples with exacting Yahweh’s vengeance upon His enemies and following His will. In many cases, Thumos struggles to rely on his faith; Yahweh’s grand plan often seems unknowable. Other story threads, set much more recently, follow the origin stories of the detectives Ian Jelani and Lane Madigan, delving into their backgrounds—from Ian’s father’s childhood in Uganda to the murder of Ian’s wife and Lane’s time as a police cadet in Florida. Lastly is the storyline follow...

Lamb, an Earth scientist and author of Devil in the Mountain: A Search for the Origin of the Andes , writes that Earth’s surface is a mosaic of restless plates that go their separate ways, sometimes bumping together as one plate sinks beneath another, sometimes moving apart and opening up a new ocean. That’s the surface. Below about 40 miles, rocks are so hot that they flow like a fluid, but above they are dotted with liquid “magma chambers” that occasionally surface explosively as a volcano or slowly as a hot spring, geyser, or deep-sea hydrothermal vent. Lamb writes an enthusiastic account of Earth’s 4-billion-year history, which mostly involves traveling rocks and subterranean fireworks, with life almost an afterthought. The best way to learn about the early Earth is to study rocks from that time. Most have been shoved deep out of sight by plate tectonics or rest at the bottom of the ocean, but around the globe (mostly in Canada) are surface remnants present over 3 billion years ag...

Ziva is a Maine coon cat who lives with the Freedmans. It’s unclear what happened before she arrived there, because although she’s sweet and calm with them, she finds strangers upsetting: “Ziva would leap like lightning. Claws out. Eyes blazing. Like she was guarding something only she could see.” One day, Elsie arrives to stay with the Freedmans. (All the humans are depicted with pale skin.) Again, it’s unclear what transpired, but the girl looks sad and doesn’t smile or speak. Ziva doesn’t hiss at Elsie, but sits quietly nearby, observing her. Elsie sleeps and the cat slumbers at the foot of her bed—and in the morning, Ziva purrs when the youngster greets her. Eventually, they become friends. Gerstner’s watercolor-style illustrations are well-executed and show a wonderful range of realistic cat expressions. The story is reminiscent of Chandra Ghosh Ippen’s Argo & Me (2022), illustrated by Erich Ippen Jr., in which a child placed in foster care bonds with an animal-shelter dog, b...

At the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y., Calamity Jane recounts her exploits to a diverse crowd of spectators. The crowd audibly gasps as the former Pony Express rider—known to friends by her birth name, Martha—describes how she bested a desperado armed only with a meat cleaver. Buffalo Bill Cody, his Cowboy Band, and mighty warriors of the Lakota tribe all converge on the stage for a “rousing climactic performance.” On her break, Jane takes trespassing young waifs under her wing, offering them food from her tent alongside a more personal version of her life story. Ultimately, Jane leaves and goes west. Van Sciver’s successful graphic nonfiction formula sends another tall tale packing. An author’s note preempts the narrative with essential historical context on harmful stereotypes and caricatures of Lakota people. Backmatter from contemporary Indigenous scholar and professor Dr. Susana Geliga (Sicangu Lakota and Boriken Taino) expands this context even further to truly ce...

This guide looks at the focus areas, responsibilities, and challenges of being a staff designer at all levels of experience in companies of all sizes. She aims her discussion at UX designers at every stage of their career, from newcomers learning the importance of such outward factors as one’s demeanor and bearing to senior practitioners who may be wondering if it’s time to make the transition to project manager. The world of the UX specialty is laid bare in these pages as Small takes readers through the various aspects of the job, from building what she refers to as executive presence (noting that all staff designers are “expected to make a huge impact”) to the vital skill of smart delegation: “Being overwhelmed by your workload isn't a moral failing,” she writes in a sentiment that every harried manager will embrace. “Every designer reaches a point where they have more work than time.” In a series of fast-paced chapters illustrated with charts and tables, the author breaks down ...

Seeking to help readers clarify what leadership means to them, Christian warns that this book isn’t intended for passive reading—the editor is inviting readers to engage in the “personal, professional, soul, spiritual” work outlined in this motivational work (the first volume in a series) that she describes as “a space for truth-telling, for authenticity at its core. A place to honor the messy, magical process of becoming.” Her exhortations include “Engage Authentically,” “Exercise Your Discomfort Muscle” (“Let go of the need to agree with everything”), and “Personalize Your Experience.” In these pages, Christian has assembled testimonials from various businesspeople and motivational figures, all evincing what contributor Jacquelyn Bsharah calls “Thoughtful Leadership,” which she describes as “a values-based approach to leadership that prioritizes self-awareness, authenticity, and aligning decisions with purpose, not just performance.” The pieces vary in tone and content. Executive Ja...

Floyd Hunsacker is exploring caves in 1870s Oregon when he comes across animal remains; seconds later, he’s consumed by a huge creature. Thirty years later, Chenoa Winterhawk is working as a guide in the same territory, leading a group on a tour in a dirigible. She’s traveling with a Maj. Quinn—he does not want his daughter with his late Chinese wife to be deported, so he’s completing a task for the Army Corps of Engineers. Another man, Lt. Misciso, hijacks the tour. Misciso is a malevolent presence from the beginning, acting with hostility toward Chenoa. When she presses him about where he intends to go, he’s cagey. He forces the dirigible to land, and the group encounters Chenoa’s uncle Akando, someone her father warned her to avoid; it’s clear something nefarious is afoot. Akando is after money that belonged to a separatist group, and believes it’s in a mine to which Quinn has a map. Things take a deadly turn when Chenoa escapes and tries to get to the mine before Akando does. Scen...

After moving from Portland, Oregon, to France for her father’s job, Tosh grows increasingly fond of Paris, even if her language skills need some work. Her sweet American neighbor Nick takes her on fabulous, quirky tours and introduces her to new friends who share her curiosity about the world; former debate team member Tosh loves doing research. They also inspire her with their interests, in particular street artist Noor, who uses her paintings to empower women. This message is more important than ever now that someone is attacking and biting women throughout the city, stirring memories in Tosh of a bad experience with Cole, a boy whose sexual aggression led her to quit debate. As the danger creeps closer, and mentions of vampires crop up everywhere, Tosh will have to confront a literal and metaphorical predator in order to keep the new life she loves. The story begins as a Parisian summer romp before shifting to become a creepy vampire horror story that creates a disturbingly apt par...

The story charts the disappearance and death of 7-year-old Jacob Hawkins and the subsequent accusation of his 13-year-old brother, Dominic. Readers follow the case chronologically, beginning in the frantic early hours when sheriff Tommy Blumhagen mobilizes a community search. Later, dark revelations regarding the seemingly upright Hawkins household emerge. Attorney Mason Mitchell, reluctantly drawn into the case, serves as the narrative’s conscience as he uncovers layers of institutional failure, including teachers who ignored warning signs, clergy reluctant to intervene, and law enforcement officers who accepted too many convenient explanations. As Mason works to prevent Dominic from being tried as an adult, the story explores the corrosive effects of religiously-rationalized physical abuse and the community’s unwillingness to confront its own complicity in allowing it. Themes of shame, authority, and children bearing the sins of their parents culminate in a wrenching courtroom seque...

Partners Josie and Derek are no strangers to the many manifestations of grief: Derek suffered a childhood weighed down by the death of the older brother he never got to meet, while Josie inherited from her grandmother the gift of spirit communication. Both are now struggling to keep their New Orleans-inspired restaurant, Miss Sylvie’s, afloat in the competitive Manhattan scene. Derek struggles with Josie’s insistence that a table in their restaurant be set aside for spirits he doesn’t even believe in; Josie bumps against Derek’s pessimism for their prospects of keeping Miss Sylvie’s afloat. At the encouragement of a therapist, they decide to hire a manager, and soon land on Stephanie. Derek is wary about her competence and character (“I’m not sure. Something felt off”), but Stephanie is enthusiastic and promises to bring the business to life with weekly happy hours and live music. This enthusiasm is misplaced, and Stephanie soon proves to be as much of a threat as rising rent prices. ...

Working for Shropshire’s second largest regional newspaper isn’t exactly exciting for Audrey Lane—and for sure wouldn’t impress her ex-girlfriend—but her life becomes more interesting when her drunken application to appear on Bake Expectations is accepted. Soon she’s spending her weekends at Patchley House, where the baking challenges are far more complicated than the “back to basics” theme of the season would suggest, and the hot-headed, foul-mouthed producer, Jennifer Hallet, quickly gets under Audrey’s skin. It’s not all bad, though, as Audrey connects with her fellow contestants, including 96-year-old Doris Rice. Always fascinated by people’s stories, Audrey learns Doris was a World War II evacuee who lived at Patchley House as a child and later returned to work as a housemaid. During that time, she had a secret romantic relationship with the daughter of the house. Audrey wants to publish Doris’ story, but that means getting permission from prickly Jennifer. Despite how much Audr...

The novel begins with the two connected worlds of Phalanx and Tristulle, visible to each other through impenetrable windows on each planet. Pandara and Koravo are two lovers on Tristulle, and their story makes up the main plot. The two live in Ksevia, a seemingly idyllic city where citizens are deeply connected to the Yuit, a collective spirit that allows them to live in hive-like tranquility. Shanti, the leader of Ksevia, is overthrown in a coup, causing chaos, and Pandara and Koravo set off on a quest to end all suffering. The book is episodic and jumps around in time, introduces many characters along the way in the form of parable-like stories: Rover, who jumps from planet to planet and ends up on Earth in New York City, a long way from her original home of Ytieo; Annie Levine, a ghostly apparition who silently follows Pandara and Koravo on their journey; and Viratus, a black dragon who provides guidance to the lovers. The pair experience various timelines, and their own deaths and...

“My baby, it’s time that you know something true: / There’s someone who loves you much more than I do!” So begins this address from mother to child, delivered in well-composed couplets. What follows, across a series of bright and joyous, two-page-spread digital illustrations from Salem-Vargas, is a repeated emphasis on just how much love a mother feels (“My love for you grows with each day that goes by. / I love you beyond all the stars in the sky”) interspersed with the comforting primacy of the divine: “My sweet baby, know this: it’s you I adore. / It’s true, my love’s vast, / But still God loves you more.” Each couplet comes with one or more numerical scripture references that point the reader toward passages expressing similar sentiments. The girl and mother are depicted as white-skinned and brown-haired. A blonde/grey-haired father and dark-haired baby brother are also shown, while a more racially diverse, wider culture is hinted at with the depiction of a school nativity play. G...

The story follows a predictable pattern: the narrator sees a cow, who says “MOO!”; the cow sees a ghost, who says “BOO!”; and so on. Other characters include an owl and a cat who, upon slinking into a house, sees a baby in a highchair. The cat greets the baby, and the baby says “GOO!” to follow the pattern. Having just finished a meal and a bottle, the baby soils its diaper and creates an alarming smell—the house erupts in chaos, attracting the baby’s older sibling and mother (who is light-skinned). Finally, the baby’s father (who is dark-skinned) saves the day with a diaper change, eliciting the final word of the book: “PHEW!” This simple picture book excels as a tool for early speech and literacy development. The consistent rhyming pattern helps children learn to interpret a sound with a variety of spellings. The dialogue follows suit, continuing the pattern without seeming forced or slipping into more internal rhymes, and the silly story adds to reader enjoyment. The addition of a ...

Dr. Opal Collins is hanging by a thread. She is a disorganized but compassionate physician who deeply bonds with her patients at Ocean Hospital. Her husband, Fox, a radiologist at a different hospital, wants her to move into a management position so she’ll have more time to spend with their family. Fox wants another child, but Opal secretly stays on birth control. When the president of Doctors Inc., Ronald Aberdeen, announces that their two hospitals are merging, Opal is presented with an opportunity: Aberdeen promises her a promotion, and the two begin an affair (“we both need to want this. There’s so much at stake.”) Unbeknownst to Opal, Aberdeen wants an in with her politician brother-in-law to leverage his return to conducting medical research in New York. As rumors swirl about the allegations in Aberdeen’s past that forced him to leave New York in the first place, and Opal’s personal life becomes increasingly untenable, Opal struggles to find a way to save her marriage and obtain...

The Nobel Prize–winning French writer Albert Camus (1913-1960) saw the world through an absurdist lens, one polished in his youth in French Algeria, his wartime life in the Resistance, and his anti-totalitarian activism. The Stranger , The Plague , and The Myth of Sisyphus still stand as the greatest critiques of modern bureaucratic life since those of Kafka. Camus wrote constantly throughout his life, and his notebooks offer a voice-over to the great upheavals of the mid-20th century. Now complete for the first time, in a fluent English translation, they flash with scintillating phrases. Camus thinks of an opening sentence for a novel (worthy of any Latin American magical realist): “When the evening soup was late, it meant that an execution was taking place the next morning.” Or this idea: “Write the story of a contemporary cured of his heartbreak by nothing other than the long contemplation of a landscape.” Camus records what he thinks are the central questions of modern life: Is ...

Hassan’s debut novel centers on Lalloo, a young man living in the outskirts of Lahore. When he was 7, his older brother, Jugnu, was killed under mysterious circumstances on the grounds of the bhatti, or labor camp, where his family made bricks to work off an insurmountable debt. To earn money for the family and escape the bhatti’s degradations, he was soon sent to work at a garage; now in his 20s, he works as a driver for a wealthy family. Lalloo’s lifelong determination to get his family out of the bhatti accelerates when his father falls ill and his sister is engaged, prompting a need for more money. The plot of the novel turns on Lalloo’s ill-fated attempts to secure funds, ranging from begging to blackmail to outright theft. In the process, he exposes the corruption of the system he’s been trapped into. Hassan, a playwright, poet, and Lahore native, has a gift for lyricism and metaphor, particularly around the fireflies of the title, symbols of a freedom that seems remote to the p...

In this installment of the Dancing Ever After series, young Peter enjoys a beautiful morning alongside friends Milo the Cat, Ren the Bird, and Roxy the Duck. Suddenly, “a HUNGRY WOLF with a grumbly tummy” swoops in, swallowing Roxy and chasing the others until Peter captures it. A large sneeze launches Roxy out of the wolf, who’s then taken to the zoo. A small pink bunny appears, also recently dislodged from the wolf’s stomach, and informs the group that there’s another animal in there. After another giant sneeze from the sleeping wolf, out pops a hedgehog (and its tutu), and the group happily dances the day away. Each page contains a small photo of Ballerina Konora demonstrating a move that pairs with the action (“Swish your arms, then bring them up wide and twirl”). Roffler’s pastel illustrations effectively demonstrate movement through lightly sketched lines, expressive movements, and adorable character expressions. The text, by a mother-daughter duo, emphasizes motion with plenti...